I received the letter you did me the Honour of writing to me by Mr. Andrews,1 and shall render him every Service I can in his Application.

Your Books and Trunks have been lodged here by Mr. Thaxter, and will be taken care of. They are of no Inconvenience to me.

We begin to be in pain for Mr. Laurens who was to have sailed 3 Days after M. Searle. If that took place, he has been out 10. or 11. 259Weeks. I hope he did not sail so soon, otherwise it would be probable that he is either lost or taken.

I do not just now recollect my having written, as from myself, any Letter to the Grand Pensionary. I drew indeed the Letter that was sent by the Commissioners acquainting him with the Treaty of Commerce, to which we had no Answer.2 But I will search, and If I can find such a one will send you a Copy, with a Copy of the other.

I shall be glad to hear if you are like to make any Progress in the Affair of a Loan, which I understand M. Laurens was charged with. I send you enclosed a Copy of a Vote of Congress, respecting your Salaries.3 I hope you will be able to do without my Assistance. If not, I must furnish you. But I have been obliged to Accept Mr. Neufville's Bills on Account of his Acceptances of those drawn on Mr. Laurens, and I shall with some Difficulty, be able to pay them; tho' these extra Demands often embarras me excedingly.

We hear that the Alliance is arriv'd at Boston.

I beg leave to recommend to your Civilities M. Searle a Member of Congress for Pensilvania, with whose conversation you will be pleased, as he can give you good Information of the State of our Affairs when he left America.

I ought to acquaint you, a governo, as the Merchants Say; that M. Le Comte de V. having taken much amiss some Passages in your Letters to him, sent the whole Correspondence to me, requesting that I would transmit it to Congress.4 I was myself sorry to see those Passages. If they were the Effects merely of Inadvertance, and you do not on Reflection approve of them, perhaps you may think it proper to write something for effacing the Impressions made by them. I do not presume to advise you; but mention it only for your Consideration.

The Vessel is not yet gone, which carries the Papers.

With great Regard, I have the honour to be Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant.

I reached Leide in the Scout1 at 6. o Clock, and finding it impossible from thence to get to Roterdam that night in a Scout, I took a Carriage, and rode on to that place, where I arrived between 10 and 11 Clock at night. There I luckily found a French Gentleman who was bound for Antwerp; with him I took another Carriage at Rotterdam, and tho' the road was exceedingly bad, we got on within one league of this place at 1/2 past 7. Clock last evening, the gates being then shut, we cou'd not enter till this morning. I immediately proceeded to this Hotel (Laboureur) and found Mr. Thaxter in bed, and all things safe—Nothing unfortunate has taken place.2 I have been so much fatigued in my rout, being unwell as you know when I set off, that I shall not think of leaving this place before to morrow morning, if then, and we shall proceed on leisurely without travelling at all in the night, if to be avoided.

I am, dear Sir, with much respect and esteem, your most obedient and most humble Servant

Since my letter of the 6th there has been no material incident relative to Mr. H. L——s Commitment; nor is the rigour of his confinement abated. No person whatever can speak to Him but in hearing 261and sight of the two attending Messengers. It is said the Secy. of States order will produce admittance to his room, but nothing else. Some of his torey relations, and a Mr. Manning a Merchant of the City and a Correspondant of Mr. L——s, have made attempts to speak to him but did not succeed.1 He is wise enough to be cautious who he Speaks to. It is generally thought this rigour will be taken off in a few days, and that His freinds, who are now backward for fear that any stir may be disadvantageous to Him, will have admittance. Almost every person here is crying out shame upon this sort of treatment of Mr. L——s.2 These people seem determind to act always in extreem and never to take the middle road. Nothing veryfys it so strongly as the present exultations for a defeat given to Genl. Gates's Army by Lord Cornwallis on the 16th Augt. An officer arrivd with the account yesterday and put the whole City in a ferment of joy. I inclose you the printed Gazette account.3 Last week, and indeed until yesterday every torey face wore an uncommon gloom and the cry was “We are all undone—We have lost America—our Army will be Burgoind—our fleets beaten &c.” and now it is directly the reverse “The defeat of Gates gives us No. and So. Carolina certain—Virginia will come in—Washington will be able to do nothing at N York—The french fleet will be blockd up—We shall conquer Ama. yet &c. &c.” This sort of nonsence makes me sick. It has been pretty confidantly talkd of lately that the Cabinet had determind to prosecute the War in America with vigour, and that 10 Ships of the line and 10,000 troops were to be sent out immediately. There seems to be as thick heads within as without the Cabinet. There is an appearance of 4 Ships of the line and some troops being intended for America immediately—most likely for the Southward; But this may be a politic measure in the ministers to give out even if they are determind to get rid of the American War.

The people generally are in fears about Jamaica and for the other Islands. No news from thence lately.

I am with great respect & Esteem your obligd & Obt Ser